Devotees panic as wild elephant enters Poondi temple near Coimbatore

A wild elephant that entered Arulmigu Vellingiri Andavar Thirukovil at Poondi in Coimbatore district on Thursday.

| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRAGEMENT

Tense moments prevailed at Arulmigu Vellingiri Andavar Thirukovil at Poondi in Coimbatore district after a wild elephant entered the temple compound on Thursday evening.Panicked devotees ran helter-skelter as the male elephant also stepped into the mandapam housing the sanctum sanctorum of deities Arulmigu Vellingiri Andavar, Arulmigu Poondi Vinayagar and Arulmigu Manonmani Amman.Tense moments prevailed at #Vellingiri Andavar Thirukovil at Poondi near #Coimbatore after a tusker entered the temple on Thursday evening. Forest Department staff drove the elephant back to forest. @THChennaipic.twitter.com/1RJe5tnM1s— Wilson Thomas (@wilson__thomas) October 3, 2025Forest Department sources said the tusker made a sudden entry into the temple compound from the bordering forests of Boluvampatti range. After wandering around the premises, it entered the mandapam through a door, creating tense moments for devotees who were offering prayers inside. They ran out through another door as those who were standing outside raised alarm.Though a large number of devotees were present at the temple on the auspicious occasion of Vijaya Dasami, the elephant did not chase or hurt anyone.After being alerted by temple authorities, frontline staff of the Forest Department rushed to the spot and drove the elephant back to the forest.District Forest Officer N. Jayaraj said the tusker did not cause any damage to temple properties either. He added that the staff were stationed at the location for night patrol.Compound wall to come upThe Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR & CE) on Friday stated that no devotee was injured in Thursday’s incident. A meeting chaired by the Joint Commissioner of HR&CE has decided to construct a 10-feet concrete compound wall around the temple as a permanent measure to prevent elephant from entering the premises. The work will start by the end of October. The meeting attended by temple trustees and Forest Range Officer of Boluvampatti range also decided to erect railings made of heavy-duty steel in front of the mandapam as a temporary measure, works of which will begin soon. Published - October 03, 2025 08:28 pm IST